It seems every day we turn on our smartphones or computers someone is tweeting or posting something offensive or hateful. Unfortunately all of that nasty is at the fingertips of our keiki. How do we keep our kids in the game?

This morning on Keiki Talk and Wake Up 2Day, Dr. Allana Coffee joined us in studio to address the issue.

Dr. Coffee says global and regional events are psychologically affecting our tweens and teens. She says stress and depressive symptoms impact grades, relationships with peers, teachers and parents. So what can we do to help our kids to stay on track during socially troubling times?

Coffee says remember these three points:

Validate: Acknowledge and empathize (it’s hard for children to prioritize chores & homework when things seem so tense elsewhere)

Educate: Get the facts, check sources and have family discussions (helps reinforce family values)